1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for maintenance of a liquid discharge head and a liquid discharge apparatus, and more particularly, to a technique for maintenance of a liquid discharge head.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an ink jet liquid discharge head discharges liquid from nozzles, liquid adheres to the peripheries of the nozzles and the inside of the nozzles. When liquid adheres to the peripheries of the nozzles and the inside of the nozzles, a cause of the deterioration of discharge performance, such as the occurrence of flying bending of liquid, occurs.
The maintenance of a liquid discharge head is regularly performed in a liquid discharge apparatus, which includes the liquid discharge head, to suppress the deterioration of discharge performance. Examples of the maintenance of the liquid discharge head include wiping processing for a liquid discharge surface and purge processing.
JP2012-51184A and JP2013-71360A disclose wiping devices that wipe the liquid discharge surface of a liquid discharge head. Each of the wiping devices disclosed in JP2012-51184A and JP2013-71360A removes liquid and the like adhering to the liquid discharge surface by making a rotating wiping member be in contact with the liquid discharge surface and wiping the liquid discharge surface.
Terms of “the liquid discharge head”, “the liquid discharge surface”, and “the wiping member” correspond to terms of “an ink jet head”, “a nozzle surface”, and “a wiping pad” of JP2012-51184A and JP2013-71360A, respectively.
JP2013-199081A discloses a liquid discharge apparatus that wipes a liquid discharge surface by using a wiping member of which the surface has been subjected to raising. The liquid discharge apparatus disclosed in JP2013-199081A wipes the inside of nozzles by allowing raised yarn portions of the wiping member to be thrust into the nozzles when wiping a liquid discharge surface by using a wiping member.
Terms of “the wiping member”, “the liquid discharge surface”, and “the liquid discharge apparatus” correspond to terms of “a wiping web”, “a nozzle surface”, and “a liquid droplet discharge apparatus” of JP2013-199081A, respectively.